Hylton Castle and Dene, Sunderland
Working with Sunderland City Council, Castle in the Community and Friends of Hylton Dene we were commissioned to develop future scenarios for Hylton Castle and prepare a business case for the development options. This builds upon our earlier work which involved jointly preparing an Audience Development Plan.

Hylton Castle is compromised of two buildings, a former four storey gatehouse, which was built by Sir William Hylton in the 14th Century and St Catherine’s Chapel which we understand was built in the 15th Century. The gatehouse and chapel are both Grade 1 listed structures and the gatehouse, chapel and grounds are designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Our work included carrying out a wide ranging consultation exercise, competitive and market review, options appraisal, preparing a trading profile, advising on management options and carrying out a risk assessment. In terms of developing the options is was very important to ensure that proposals reflected the sensitive nature of the overall site and the keen interest of the local community.

Sheerness Docks, Kent
We carried out a review of the tourism and leisure markets to identify the options for leisure / tourism development within the working Port of Sheerness. We were part of a multi-disciplinary team contributing towards a larger master planning exercise.

Our work programme needed to balance the needs of the current commercial operation, restoring a range of important historic built structures with the potential to increase access to this valuable heritage resource.

Forest Enterprise, Bedgebury, Kent
We carried out a feasibility study, market assessment and business planning strategy for the outdoor activity centre at Bedgebury Pinetum.

Our work was used to help support a successful Lottery application.

Brockholes, Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside
We worked with the Trust’s project team to prepare a business plan, which has been used to successfully gain £8 million in funding, for Brockholes a new ‘flagship‘ wildlife visitor experience, near Preston.

This involved carrying out a market review in terms of the visitor attraction and tourism sectors, a demographic analysis, concept development preparing a penetration analysis, producing a detailed financial model and carrying out a risk analysis. We also advised on pre and post opening marketing initiatives and management options. Previously we had carried a feasibility study for the Trust.

National Day Visitor Attraction, Derbyshire
Working within a multi-disciplinary team we assessed the potential of introducing a visitor attraction of national appeal on to a brownfield site. The attraction would be themed around ‘cycling’. Our work included carrying out an assessment of two sites, a market assessment, penetration rate analysis and preparing a detailed financial model.

Working in a design team we advised on key operational and design considerations for the visitor attraction.

Fowlmead Country Park, Betteshanger Coalfield, Kent
We carried out an extensive leisure options review and business appraisal for SEEDA and the Land Restoration Trust to introduce a new country park style leisure destination based on cycling and nature conservation. We also advised on governance and delivery options.